Winter Solstice Festival Continues to Celebrate Ring of Gullion’s Rich History

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and the Ring of Gullion Partnership, as part of the Winter Solstice Festival, have planned two nights of celebration, in a tribute to the rich social history of the area.

Kicking off the celebration in Culloville Community Centre on Thursday 6 December, ‘Women in South Armagh’ will celebrate the immense contribution of women to the area through stories with exhibitions and photographs, music and song. Organiser Una Walsh will be joined by a number of guests, including musician Colleen Savage, who will be performing during the event. Outstanding pieces from Carrickmacross Lace Women will also be on display and everyone will be encouraged to share some of their stories, to make what promises to be a magical night.

On Friday 7 December in Dromintee Primary School, Tom Murphy and Brian Tomany, founders of the popular local Facebook page ‘At Slieve Gullion’s Foot,’ will provide a talk and show never- seen-before photographs from the area, which will also go live on the page.  There will also be storytelling from Seamus Murphy and poetry from Malachy Ó Raifeartaigh.

‘At Slieve Gullion’s Foot’ was founded by in 2015 and since then has gone from strength to strength. Together with the local community, Tom and Brain have built the page to become a hugely successful resource, which looks at the rich social, political, sporting, ecclesiastical, literary and musical history of Jonesborough and Dromintee.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Mark Murnin said, ”The Winter Solstice Festival is well known for hosting incredible events that celebrate the history and culture of the area and these two evenings are no different.

“The quality and popularity of the Festival is a testament to the hard work to all the partners and event organisers involved. For such a small area, the Festival has provided an enriching experience, enlightening people’s view of the Ring of Gullion and leaving them hungry for more. It highlights all that is great about South Armagh and the Ring of Gullion, which is a rich cultural and archaeological area, brimming with talent, myths, legends and history.”

Check out the Ring of Gullion website www.ringofgullion.org or call 028 3082 8590 for a full programme of events. Some events require booking.